Two Palestinian goals at UN:Have all disputed land declared "occupied"
and have terrorists declared legitimate freedom fighters

by Itamar Marcus and Nan Jacques Zilberdik

The Palestinian Authority wishes to achieve a number of political gains by having the UN vote today, recognizing "Palestine" as a non-member observer state. First, all lands that are disputed and whose future must be negotiated according to the Oslo Accords, the PA wants declared Palestinian "occupied territory." Second, they claim that UN recognition would change the status of Palestinian terrorists in Israeli prisons to legitimate freedom fighters and prisoners of war.

1- Changing the status of land under Israeli administration since 1967 to "occupied territory"

PA Foreign Minister Riad Al-Maliki:

"If Palestine receives status of a non-member state in the General Assembly, there will be positive effects on all levels in the future... Israel will no longer be able to define the occupied territories as disputed lands. They will become lands of a separate, occupied state."

[Al-Hayat Al-Jadida, July 24, 2012]

PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas:

"During a speech at a meeting of the Arab League Ministerial Council, President Abbas said: ... 'We will hand in the application and request that it be voted on this November 29... We want to establish that the Palestinian territories that were [taken] in 1967 including Jerusalem [are occupied], since Israel has a different approach. It says that the territories occupied in 1967 are disputed territories. In other words, up for negotiations'"

[Al-Hayat Al-Jadida, Nov. 13, 2012]

2- Changing the status of Palestinian terrorists who have targeted civilians into legitimate fighters and prisoners of war

"Minister of Prisoners, Issa Karake said that the [PA] leadership's application to the UN to wrest [from it] international recognition of a Palestinian state, which is not a member of the UN, will raise the legal status of the prisoners and will offer international protection of their rights and their honor... He said that the prisoners will become captives of a state (i.e., Palestine), hostages and detainees in another state (i.e., Israel). The state's (Palestine's) legal status will turn them into prisoners of war who are detained illegally in the prisons inside Israel."

[Al-Hayat Al-Jadida, Nov. 13, 2012]

Already last year, PA Minister of Prisoners Karake said that UN recognition would indicate that the international community retroactively legitimizes Palestinian terror:

"[PA Minister of Prisoners' Affairs, Issa] Karake... explained that the international recognition of the Palestinian State changes all the imprisoned Palestinians into prisoners of a state, prisoners of war held hostage in another state... He noted that the recognition of the state means recognition of the legitimacy of the Palestinian struggle that the Palestinian nation fought, in the search for freedom and independence. In addition, it [recognition of a state] indicates that the struggles (Arabic- Nidalat) of the prisoners are legitimized and legal according to UN Resolutions, international laws and the third and fourth Geneva Conventions."

[Al-Hayat Al-Jadida, Sept. 8, 2011]

Note: The Palestinian Authority uses the word nidal - literally 'struggle' - as a general term that includes all acts against Israel - including terror against civilians.

The following are longer excerpts of the article on Karake's statements:

Headline: "Karake: Our application to the UN [to achieve] recognition of the State of Palestine will raise the legal status of the prisoners"
"Minister of Prisoners, Issa Karake said that the [PA] leadership's application to the UN to wrest [from it] international recognition of a Palestinian state which is not a member of the UN will raise the legal status of the prisoners and will offer international protection of their rights and their honor... He said that the prisoners will become captives of a state (i.e., Palestine), hostages and detainees in another state (i.e., Israel). The state's (Palestine's) legal status will turn them into prisoners of war who are detained illegally in the prisons inside Israel. He added: 'If the State of Palestine is recognized, it will be easy for us to call on the parties to the Geneva Conventions to assemble in order to apply the Geneva Conventions to the territories of the occupied state. This includes [applying the Conventions to] the prisoners and in addition, we will be able to prosecute the Israelis and hold them accountable for actions and crimes that have been committed and continue to be committed against the prisoners in prison.'"